Hands on with the Energizer Wireless Charging Mat and the Nexus 4

We’ve talked about wireless charging in the past and have wondered why it’s not more popular. One of the reasons could be the relative scarcity of inductive chargers, another reason is the confusing variety of wireless chargers and varying standards on the market today.

Energizer makes a pair of Qi (pronounced “chee”) compatible chargers called the “Energizer Single Inductive Charger” and “Energizer Dual Inductive Charger”. Both feature a large Qi logo (or two) on their face. Both work with Qi-compatible phones or phones like the Nexus 4 with Qi-compatible accessories. Energizer also makes an inductive charger called Powermat which does not work with Qi-compatible devices.
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In our tests the Nexus 4 was able to get a quick 10-15% charge in around 20 minutes, then charged to full capacity a little slower than charging via the USB charger that was included with the phone.

Wireless charging, however, isn’t about speed, it’s about convenience. Simply placing our Nexus 4 on the charger was very quick and easy. Unfortunately, the design of the Energizer charger is somewhat wedge-shaped and the surface is fairly slick. This, combined with the Nexus 4’s slippery back, resulted in the phone easily slipping out of position. Using the Nexus 4 Bumper all but eliminated the problem, but it’s not an ideal solution. Others have resorted to propping up the bottom of the charger so it’s more level.